A new direction
by inaworddaicos
Summary: Yes, another AU story. Oliver Queen is yes the golden boy of Starling City and Felicity is of course the apple of his eye. Not that she actually realizes this. So when she comes looking for a new start, guess who's more than willing to help. Rated T for now, may need to change for later chapters.


It was the usual crowd at Verdant tonight and Oliver couldn't have been more bored if he'd stayed at home listening to the women in his life trying to explain why it was that he'd once again screwed up the greatest love story of all time. Yes, that's what they actually had the nerve to call his relationship with Laurel but that was so far from the truth. It may have been true before he went away to college but 5 years and a master's degree later they both realised that no matter how much they cared about each other it had long gone from a love match to relationship of convenience. One that had long since become very inconvenient especially with the puppy dog eye's that Tommy had developed for her while he was away. Most shocking of all was that she too was sporting them. That was when he'd known that he was over, he should have been angry that them but he wasn't instead all he felt was a level of frustration that he'd left 2 of the people he cared about most of all in the world dangling in the wind while he tried to get his shit together. That was why he'd called her over this morning to tell her that it was over and then called Tommy to explain. When he'd first told Tommy he'd thought he was going to hit him. "How could you that to her" and "Let me guess you've been sowing your wild oats and you're not done yet!" He should have been angry at him but he loved seeing this protective side of Tommy, he'd only ever seen it twice before – once when someone had made a joke about Tommy's mother and the second when the 'way too old for her' boy had rocked up to take Thea out on a date. Yes, it was disconcerting to see that, that was his first suspicion but he had kind of earned it over the years even if he hadn't cheated on her in the last few years he certainly had before that.

When he finally calmed down he asked the question Oliver had been waiting for **"Why?"**

The answer was the same one he'd given Laurel and she'd agreed with completely. "I'm not 'in love' with her and she wasn't 'in love' with him. Yes they would always love and care about each other but they needed more than a level of comfort to exist between them." He had then none too subtly suggested that Tommy go check on her, at first Tommy had played dumb and then smiled, giving him a slight nod and walked out of the room. His mother had yelled at him, telling him that he'd royally screwed up this time and Thea had cried about the loss of her sister. When he'd stormed out the Manor he could still here the 2 of them talking with a couple of Moira's friends about the devastating news. Hell they were acting like it was a death in the family not a timely parting of the ways.

So here he was on a Thursday night over seeing his and Tommy's night club while tommy comforted his ex. He was pretty sure they would be going on their first official date in the next few days after all they had apparently been spending at least 2 nights a week doing 'things' while he was away but just as friends', Tommy had confessed after someone had made a joke about him being the second in line last week. So he had told Tommy to take a couple of nights off and he would cover it, he knew they needed to work things out. The place was full of some of the most vapid creatures he had ever seen in his entire life and he was pretty sure if he could get past the fact that most of them had the IQ of the standard cabbage meeting Miss Right Now wouldn't hard. That was when he saw her, Felicity Smoak one of his favourite memories from college and no she didn't feature on his wall of fame or shame depending on how you looked at it. She had been one of the few truly nice people he had met in the last 5 years but she was supposed to living in England with her fiancé Cooper Sheldon. They'd left 6 months before he'd finished, him with his Masters in Finance and her with her degree in Computer Programming and Engineering from MIT. They were the campus' power couple and though neither of them had money, they were both revered and feared. Cooper because of his brains and outspoken personality, Felicity because she was very protective of her friends and a number of people had found themselves on the 'No Fly List' just for crossing her small group of friends. She'd even helped Oliver get some really embarrassing photos off the internet, and though she said she wasn't judging she did say he deserved 'better'. That was when he had stopped playing around and actually started to study and had actually gone from a 2.7 to 4.0. Instead of scraping by he had actually graduated at the top of his class and his folks couldn't believe it.

He hadn't realised it but he had actually got up and nearly made it over to where she was standing when he saw who she was talking to, frigging Isobel Rochev and that's when he heard it.

"You know he wont even remember who you are. I don't know why you thought knowing a billionaire playboy would help you get a job."

"We were friends Isobel, sure I'm not someone he'd actually want to spend time with but I'm pretty sure he'd give me reference. It is his family's company after all." She sounded dejected and that's when his brain finally kicked into gear and he realised they were talking about him, he'd been so happy to see her that he hadn't really been taking in what they were saying.

"Just come and work at Steelmore, I'm sure I can get you a position in Applied Sciences. You'll owe me but I'm sure you can make it up to me."

"No I told you, I'll make it on my own or I wont make it at all."

"But you're more than happy to let Oliver 'too stupid to know a good thing when he's got it' Queen help you but not me."

"He wont be getting me the job, I just want him to push me in the right direction."

"And you really think he'd remember you!" he couldn't take it any longer he needed to break up this party before Felicity left and he really couldn't take her leaving. He knew it wouldn't be long before someone spotted him, the problem with being him was that wall flower was never a job he was well suited to. So he put on his best fake smile and walked towards Felicity and the woman he never again wanted to speak to.

"Felicity. Felicity Smoak is that really you." She looked up and he could tell that she was both happy and petrified to see him, the first part he was happy about. The second he would definitely try to fix.

"Oh, Hi Oliver. Fancy seeing you here." she said looking around

"Well it is my club" a grin forming on his lips "so not such a surprise "he said smirking.

"Your club. I thought it was Tommy's." Felicity looked confused.

"Actually we own it together but I keep my involvement on the down low. Though I'm sure you knew that Isobel." He said finally acknowledging the woman giving him death stares from next to the petite blonde.

"Oh, yeah I'd heard something about you being a silent partner. I wouldn't have expected to see you here though."

* * *

He was grinning like a fool and he knew it, but the one woman who had kept his attention for the last 3 years was standing in front of him and if she hadn't been talking to the greatest mistake he'd made in his time at college he would have been on cloud nine. Yes, in all the time he had known Felicity she had been in a completely committed and monogamous relationship that still hadn't stopped his mind from wondering about what he'd do if one day she'd noticed him. He wasn't insecure enough to think that she didn't think he was good looking but she'd never once looked at him the way she did Cooper. Why she'd tolerated Isobel had always been one of life greatest mysteries.


End file.
